War game.



W. C. FOSTER.

.WAR GAME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. l5. 1917.

Patented Oct. 80, 1917.

WINFBED G. FOSTER, OFfNEW YORK, N. Y.

WAR GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 191'?.

Application led January 15, 1917. Serial No. 142,385.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVINrRnD C. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of thewcity and county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in War Games, set forth 1n the following specification.

,'This invention relates to games, more particularly war games, and is embodied in suitable apparatus forV playing thefsame. An object of the invention is to devise a game adaptable for play in connection with' a play-field simulating or corresponding to any of the national or State demarcations of the geographical areas in the world, so that opposing forces may be represented by movable pieces,'the movements of which in opposition to one another are controlled by a chance device. k1n carrying out the invention a play-field or play-board is provided, which is demarked by a dividing boundary line into a plurality of opposing major areas. Each major area is divided into a number of minor areas, one of which is substantially central and which is distinguishingly characterized, andthe fall of which central area in the play ofthe game marks the close of the game. A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for the playing of game of war with movable pieces under the combined control of both skill and chance. v f The features of the inventionare furthe pointed out in the accompanying claims which may be understood more clearly by reference to the illustrative embodiment of the invention described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which like characters represent corresponding parts. lnthe drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a play-field; Fig. 2 is a plan view of two sets of movable pieces; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view 'illustrating a suitable chance device for employment in the game.

The play-board A is shown having a playiield divided yinto two major areas b and c by the boundary demarcation d. The major area is divided into a number of minor areas l to 23, while the major area c is shown divided into the same number of exactly similar minor areas 1 to 23. The major area o, in its division into minor areas, roughly approximates the division of the United States west of the Mississippi river into its respective States, while the major area c in the embodiment illustrated'` is exactly the same arrangement of minor areas as Z except that it is in the reverse order or rotated so that what is north for major area b is south for major area c. It is by no means necessary for the play of the game that the major areas such as b and c be of the rectangular shape illustrated. As a matter of fact, almost all mapsl of territory divided into national and State divisions are irregular, and it is not considered necessaryl for the play of the game to smooth out the natural irregularities, as has been done in the embodimentof Fig. 1, to make a playboard out of the United States, thewest of the Uississippi versus the east of the Mississippi, nor is it by any means necessary to limit the designation and divisions of the play-board tothe map of the United States or a modification of the same. The playboard may conform to or correspond to the map 0f any desired territory or to any arbitrary configuration of major areas divided into minor areas in accordance with the invention. Y

In the embodiment illustrated a substantially central minor area 14 for major area b, and 14 forrmajor area c, has ya special characterization such as the indication of an artillery-defended fortress 24E.' This fortress represents the objective in the play of the game, and the fall of the side playing the' corresponding area and the end of the game is marked when all of the minor areasimmediately surrounding a fortress are occupied by the enemys movable pieces, as for example by pieces occupying positions cor'- responding to the red spots 25 located in the States 8, 9, 13, 17 and 15 or by the red spots 25 located in the States 8', 9, 13', 17 and 15. n f

The movable pieces are preferably twelve in number' for each player or side, and are indicated in Fig. 2 as twelve white pieces 26 and twelve red pieces 27, although it isto be understood that the coloring is immaterial, except that the movable pieces for each side should have a distinct characterizationy or coloring. These movable pieces maybe in any suitable form such as paper or composition chips. The number of piecemovements for each play of a player maybe determined by any suitable chance device be represented by numbers 1 to of which may be indicated by the device.

Rides of play.

1t the play-board A is divided into an equal number ot similarly arranged parts, as in the board illustrated, there is no choice between the major areas o and c, but in the event there is a diiierence in the lay-out on opposite sidesof the boundary such as (Z, the choice of or areas may be determined by the chance-device.

The object oi' the game is to surround opponents central minor area or fortress and thereby capture it. The manipulation of the chancedevice is in rotation, the first throw being determined by a preliminary throw for highest number, after tive movable pieces for each side. are placed in the live opposing minor areas immediately bordering the boundary demarcation (Z. The player throwing the highest number of points moves vacross the boundary line, forcing the man from the minor area into which he moves to retreat. l? or example, it red wins the move by throwing 4, he can move four times, using diterent movable pieces to move with, it desired, or one can be moved four times, it desired, or two can be moved, each twice, and so on. `When attacked vfrom the east, the movable piece attacked must move either north, south or west. ii/Yhen'attacked from the west, the piece attacked must move either north, south or east. `When attacked from the north the piece attacked must move either east, west or south. And when attacked from the south, the piece attacked must move either north, east or west. It any of his own pieces are in the wayrthe player can move ythem to make place in the minor area in question. After each play, the player' who won the highest number ot points adds another movable piece, Vplacing it next to the boundary line in one ot the sections or minor areas on his own side ot the boundary. 1f not able to do this on account ot' the boundary sections being occupied, he must place it in one of the sections on his own side as near to the boundary line as possible.` lNhen a piece is surrounded by the opposing players pieces so that it cannot move into an adjoining section when attacked, it is captured, provided the player surrounding such a piece has one or more counts left so as to be able to move into the section occupied. by the surrounded piece. Each piece captured in any section but those having the red circles or the torts counts 5. Y`When captured in the sections of the red dots or in the forts it counts l0. l/Vhen a fort is captured it counts 50. The piece can be moved into any section bordering the one from which it is then in. Only one piece can occupy a section at a time. The orts can only be occupied by the piece ot the i player who is defending that particular tort and only one disk can be placed there at a time. Then artort is surrounded by the opponents pieces placed in the sections with the red circles, it can be captured if the opponent has a. count-.left so as to be able to move his ypiece into the tort. 1f not, and it there is a piece inthe tort and the player defending that tort wins the next throw` the piece in the fort can move out, breaking the line surrounding the fort.

it is, et course, to be understood that the rules of play outlined above are subject to many modifications as,vfor example, the plays might be determined Lby the exact number thrown by each player in rotation, rather than to Y be limited to the player throwing the highest number. Many other modifications ot the rules of play are contemplated without in anyway altering the characteristic features of the kgame.` Y

e preferred feature `of the division of the major areas into minor areas or sections is the irregular contour of the minor areas, so that in most instances any vone minor area borders on one or more overlapping' minor areas, so that, although the rules of play limit the m vement of aj piece to a movement from one areav to a bordering area, progress may, in edect, be made northward, tor example, by a piece-movementdirectly eastward into an area whichextends farther north than the area from `which 'the piece moved. This feature corresponds the more close y to the coniiguration oi mostpo lit-ical and geographic divisions of territory of the various w rld powers and adds interest to the play of the game, as well as providing an outlet for the individual skill of a player.

Vhat is claimed and what is desired to be secured by United States Letters Pa ent is: v

l. V1n a gamek apparatus, a play-field demarked into a plurality of major areas, each major area demarkcd into a number of minor areas including one minor area substantially central to its major area and having a. distinguishing characterization; a set of movablepieces for each major area; and a chance device for determining the number of permissible movable piece moves from minor area to minor area. y

2. 1n a game apparatus, a playeld demarked into a plurality of major areas, each major area demarked into a number ot minor areas, including one minor area completely surrounded by other minor areas which bears a ydistinguishing characterization;l a set of movable pieces for each major area; and a chance device for determining the number of permissible movable piece moves from minor area t0 minor area.

3. In a game apparatus, a play-eld demarked into a plurality of major areas, each major area demarked into a number of overlapping minor areas and including one minor area substantially central to its major area and having a distinguishing characterization; a set of movable pieces for each major area; and a chance device for determining Jche number of permissible movable piece moves from minor area to minor area.

In Witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification, this 12th day of January, 1917.

WINFRED o. FOSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ZD. G. 

